SDE User password expires - causing MXD links to break and me a headache

AndrewBrown1 — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:22:14 GMT

I have a small issue. Our SDE service password expired the other day and I had to go in to our SQL database and update it to something new.

Well, since updating the account's password, all of the MXDs related to that project no longer load the layers properly - the layers' connections are all broken.

Once i changed the password - and confirmed it worked via ArcCatalog - I opened an MXD to do some work, and low and behold the layers are still broken. I try to repair but I get a message saying that the account has been locked out. I am assuming that the layers in the MXD are trying to connect via SDE with the expired password, thus causing a lockout on the account.

Instead of changing the password for every MXD that causes an account lockout, is there a better way to go about fixing these MXDs without changing the SDE password multiple times?

Thanks,
Andrew

Re: SDE User password expires - causing MXD links to break and me a headache

VinceAngelo — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:17:15 GMT

The SDE user password really shouldn't be present in *any* map documents. As an administrative
management account, the SDE user should not own spatial data, and the password for it should be
closely held (to limit the possibility of instance corruption).

Best practice calls for data ownership accounts to manage spatial data, and browse accounts
for read-only access to data that doesn't need editing (and read-mostly access to data which
may [granted through roles]). You'll still have an impact from browse user password expiration,
but if it really is read-only, there won't be as pressing a reason to enable time-based expiration.

Some sites require users to log in as themselves for browse accounts; you can support this by
not storing the browse user password in map documents (uncheck the "save password" tic-box),
which allows users to override the username and password at initial connect. OS authentication
can also help in this regard.

A forums search (lower box in upper-right corner) on "mxd password change" brought up several
posts that lead to resources for changing broken map documents, but you may need to review
current geodatabase implementation before you can make best use of them.

- V

topic SDE User password expires - causing MXD links to break and me a headache in Data Management Questions

SDE User password expires - causing MXD links to break and me a headache

Re: SDE User password expires - causing MXD links to break and me a headache